Hexagonal wrenches or tool drivers, also referred to as alien wrenches or L-wrenches, have a hexagonal L-shaped body, including a long leg member and a short leg member. The end of either leg member is able to be inserted into a head of a screw or tool designed to accept a hexagonal wrench. Once inserted, rotational pressure is applied to the hexagonal wrench in order to tighten or loosen the screw. The leg members of the hexagonal wrench are designed to be of different lengths in order to allow a user flexibility when using the wrench in different environments and situations. For example, in a narrow, confined environment, the long leg of the hexagonal wrench is inserted into the head of the screw and the user will apply rotational pressure to the short leg. Or, if the environment is not so confined, the user is able to insert the short leg of the hexagonal wrench into the head of the screw and apply rotational pressure to the long leg.
Hexagonal wrenches are manufactured and distributed in multiple English (e.g., standard) and metric sizes in order to facilitate their use with screw heads of multiple sizes. Such wrenches are usually sold in a set which includes wrenches of multiple sizes but are also distributed individually.
When using a hexagonal wrench, a user will insert an end of the hexagonal wrench into the head of a workpiece such as a screw, and will then exert rotational pressure on the opposite end of the wrench in order to tighten or loosen the screw. Because of the size and dimensions of the hexagonal wrench it is particularly difficult to exert a great amount of rotational pressure on the hexagonal wrench when the long leg of the hexagonal wrench is inserted into the head of the screw. Because the hexagonal wrench is typically turned with the user's fingers, the user is able to also experience scrapes and cuts from the use of hexagonal wrenches in this manner. Ingenuitive users have also used other tools, including vice grips, pliers and the like, to turn hexagonal wrenches. However, this method is disadvantageous because such tools are able to lose their hold on the hexagonal wrench when rotational pressure is applied or are able to even bend or otherwise disfigure the hexagonal wrench.
Socket wrenches, also referred to as ratchets, have a ratcheting mechanism and use interchangeable sockets to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts. The sockets are sized to fit different sized nuts and bolts. The ratcheting mechanism allows the nuts and bolts to be tightened or loosened with an alternating backward and forward motion. The sockets are manufactured and distributed in multiple English (e.g., standard) and metric sizes in order to facilitate their use with nuts and bolts of multiple sizes. Socket wrenches are usually sold in a set which includes sockets of different sizes but are also distributed individually.
Hexagonal wrenches and socket wrenches, among other tools, are commonly used. Yet, hexagonal wrenches and socket wrenches are separate tools. The user needs to gather these separate tools to work, for example, on a construction project. Multi-purpose devices allow the user to access different tools. Some multi-purpose devices have a blade, a corkscrew, scissors, and other tools for outdoor use but do not have tools for use during construction, carpentry, car repair, and the like. Other multi-purpose devices have tools, such as pliers, wire cutters, and drivers, but require the user to transform the multi-purpose device into a different configuration in order to access a particular tool. This method is disadvantageous because such a multi-purpose device does not provide easy access to any of the tools. In addition, once transformed into the right configuration, the multi-purpose device loses its convenient handle and, therefore, is awkward to grip onto.